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The Australian Bureau of Statistics ABS) reports that anxiety affects over 2 million people in Australia aged 16-85 years, with the majority of sufferers being women.
“Experiencing some anxiety is normal and in small amounts can even be a good thing,” says Jean Hailes psychologist and Head of Translation Dr Mandy Deeks. “It helps us focus, keeps us alert and can even motivate us. But for some people, anxiety and worries can become excessive, constant and distressing enough that they cannot function in their daily life.”
Feeling anxious does not necessarily mean you have an anxiety disorder. It is when feelings of anxiety become excessive, irrational or interfere in daily life that they become a problem.
Types of Anxiety
There are different types of anxiety and anxiety sufferers may experience more than one type at the same time.
Generalised anxiety disorder: feeling anxious and worried about daily situations. These feelings are usually out of proportion to the circumstances concerned.
Phobias: a specific fear of something like spiders or even social situations where you may be embarrassed or judged.
Panic disorder: frequent and unexpected panic attacks that usually last a few minutes, but can be so intense that it feels like a heart attack. These occur when the body’s normal anxiety response is not working properly and there is no way the person can relieve themselves of the feelings.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD): having intrusive, repeated thoughts (such as thinking there are germs everywhere) and trying to make these thoughts go away by performing certain behaviours (compulsions such as repeated hand washing).
Post-traumatic stress disorder: experiencing significant anxiety after a traumatic or distressing event. People with PTSD tend to re-live and avoid reminders of the event. Common traumas include car accidents, natural disasters and being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.
Signs and Symptoms
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Dr Deeks from Jean Hailes says that while anxiety can happen at any time, there are times in a woman’s life when she may be more likely to experience anxiety.
“Women have a number of reproductive and health conditions that increase their risk of experiencing anxiety,” she said. “Major life events such as trying to get pregnant, motherhood, menopause and managing a chronic illness can be times of higher anxiety for women.”
While what women worry about at different points in their lives may be different, the effects of anxiety can be the same. It could be physical such as a racing heart, sweaty hands, sleeplessness or fast breathing or it could be emotional such as difficulty concentrating, feeling panicky or overwhelmed.
“It may be hard to know if what you are feeling is normal worry or an anxiety disorder,” says Dr Deeks. “It’s important to get help if your anxieties interfere in your daily life and cause significant emotional and physical distress.”
Vulnerability to anxiety disorders
A variety of things can make a person more susceptible to developing an anxiety disorder including:
- High stress levels
- Being physically tired or run-down
- Certain personality traits
- Experiencing lots of change
- Physical or emotional trauma
- Family history
10 practical tips to help with anxiety |
Anxiety: Learn, Think, Do is an online ‘hub’ designed to help women understand worry and anxiety, helping to reduce the prevalence of anxiety-related disorders across Australia. It encourages women to learn about anxiety, think about the anxieties they have, and offers practical ways to manage and live with anxiety. A self-assessment tool can help to identify levels of worry and anxiety and an online toolkit offers a variety of practical options to help deal with worries and anxieties.